Molecular sieve materials, both natural and synthetic, have been demonstrated in the past to be useful as adsorbents and to have catalytic properties for various types of hydrocarbon conversion reactions. Certain molecular sieves, such as zeolites, AlPOs, and mesoporous materials, are ordered, porous crystalline materials having a definite crystalline structure as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Within the crystalline molecular sieve material there are a large number of cavities which may be interconnected by a number of channels or pores. These cavities and pores are uniform in size within a specific molecular sieve material. Because the dimensions of these pores are such as to accept for adsorption molecules of certain dimensions while rejecting those of larger dimensions, these materials have come to be known as “molecular sieves” and are utilized in a variety of industrial processes.
Such molecular sieves, both natural and synthetic, include a wide variety of positive ion-containing crystalline silicates. These silicates can be described as rigid three-dimensional framework of SiO4 and Periodic Table Group 13 element oxide (e.g., AlO4). The tetrahedra are cross-linked by the sharing of oxygen atoms with the electrovalence of the tetrahedra containing the Group 13 element (e.g., aluminum) being balanced by the inclusion in the crystal of a cation, for example a proton, an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal cation. This can be expressed wherein the ratio of the Group 13 element (e.g., aluminum) to the number of various cations, such as H+, Ca2+/2, Sr2+/2, Na+, K+, or Li+, is equal to unity.
Molecular sieves that find application in catalysis include any of the naturally occurring or synthetic crystalline molecular sieves. Examples of these molecular sieves include large pore zeolites, intermediate pore size zeolites, and small pore zeolites. These zeolites and their isotypes are described in “Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types”, eds. Ch. Baerlocher, L. B. McCusker, D. H. Olson, Elsevier, Sixth Revised Edition, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference. A large pore zeolite generally has a pore size of at least about 7 {acute over (Å)} and includes LTL, VFI, MAZ, FAU, OFF, *BEA, and MOR framework type zeolites (IUPAC Commission of Zeolite Nomenclature). Examples of large pore zeolites include mazzite, offretite, zeolite L, VPI-5, zeolite Y, zeolite X, omega, and beta. An intermediate pore size zeolite generally has a pore size from about 5 {acute over (Å)} to less than about 7 {acute over (Å)} and includes, for example, MFI, MEL, EUO, MTT, MFS, AEL, AFO, HEU, FER, MWW, and TON framework type zeolites (IUPAC Commission of Zeolite Nomenclature). Examples of intermediate pore size zeolites include ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-22, MCM-22, silicalite 1, and silicalite 2. A small pore size zeolite has a pore size from about 3 {acute over (Å)} to less than about 5.0 {acute over (Å)} and includes, for example, CHA, ERI, KFI, LEV, SOD, and LTA framework type zeolites (IUPAC Commission of Zeolite Nomenclature). Examples of small pore zeolites include ZK-4, SAPO-34, SAPO-35, ZK-14, SAPO-42, ZK-21, ZK-22, ZK-5, ZK-20, zeolite A, chabazite, zeolite T, and ALPO-17.
One known intermediate pore size zeolite is NU-86, the synthesis of which in the presence of a polymethylene alpha, omega-diammonium cation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,579 to J. L. Casci. The proposed structure of NU-86 has a three dimensional pore system including one set of straight channels defined by a ring of 11 oxygen and 11 tetrahedral atoms, one set of straight channels defined by a ring of alternating 10 and 12 oxygen and alternating 10 and 12 tetrahedral atoms and one set of sinusoidal channels defined by a ring of alternating 10 and 12 oxygen and alternating 10 and 12 tetrahedral atoms (see M. D. Shannon, “Method of solution and structure determination of 3 novel high-silica medium-pore zeolites with multi-dimensional channel systems”, Proceedings of the Ninth International Zeolite Conference, ed. by R. von Ballmoos, J. B. Higgins, and M. M. J. Treacy, Butterworth-Heinemann, Stoneham, Mass., 1993, pp 389-398). NU-86 has been shown to have utility in the oligomerization of C2-C8 olefins (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,428).
According to the present invention, a new zeolite structure, designated EMM-17, has now been synthesized using at least one of the following four organic templates: 1-methyl-4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridinium cations, 1-ethyl-4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridinium cations, 1-propyl-4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridinium cations, and 1-butyl-4-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridinium cations. The new zeolite has an X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern that is similar to, but distinguished from, that of NU-86 and possesses a high micropore volume of 11.3%, as determined by n-hexane sorption.